1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to independent wheel suspension systems for motor vehicles and more particularly to a short-long arm type independent rear suspension for motor vehicles.
2. Disclosure Information
The desirability of roll understeer has long been recognized and a variety of suspension designs have been produced with the roll understeer characteristic in mind. U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,118 to Arning discloses a system in which roll understeer results from convergence of the axes included between a lower control arm and the frame and wheel carrier. U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,803 to Cote et al discloses a suspension employing two pairs of transverse tie rods combined with longitudinal lower arms. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,245,853 and 4,269,432 to Inoue et al disclose suspension systems for controlling toe in during cornering by the use of converging independent lower control arms in combination with a longitudinal tension strut. U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,415 to von der Ohe discloses a suspension system in which each rear wheel carrier is guided by five separate articulated links. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,537 to von der Ohe et al discloses a suspension with a transverse, laterally offset track rod and upper and lower transverse wishbone arms articulated at a single point to the wheel carrier. Each of these systems produces roll understeer by causing the wheel at the outside of a turn to toe in. The present invention accomplishes this in a suspension system having very favorable space requirements.